The Strategists

Stephen Carter was senior strategist to Naheed Nenshi and Alison Redford. Corey Hogan was senior strategist to a bunch of people who never reached notoriety. Today, both make their living providing strategic counsel.
They're here to talk politics. Zain Velji sets the questions and keeps them in line.

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Stephen Carter and Corey Hogan discuss the lessons learned from Donald Trump's post debate meltdown. Is there a path forward for the GOP? Did Trump's surrogates let him down on the tax return issue? And thanks. Zain Velji, as always, picks the questions and keeps everybody in line.

Stephen Carter and Corey Hogan discuss the first U.S. Presidential debate of the 2016 election. How did the candidates do? Where do the go from here? And does Sean Hannity have the temperament of a 400 pound birther? Zain Velji, as always, picks the questions and keeps everybody in line.

Stephen Carter and Corey Hogan discuss Sandra Jansen's potential leadership bid, the latest doings of the Liberal government and the upcoming US presidential debates. Is now the time for other candidates to jump into the race for PC leader? What would our reactions be both inside the room and in public to a series of recent Liberal challenges? And who's campaign will we launch next week? Zain Velji, as always, picks the questions and keeps everybody in line.

Stephen Carter and Corey Hogan discuss minimum wage, the Alberta PC leadership race and the recent missteps by candidates in the US. What are the impacts of Alberta raising the minimum wage? Is it a cause the federal government can embrace? And are Colin Powell's emails best set to electronica or soft jazz? Zain Velji, as always, picks the questions and keeps everybody in line.

Stephen Carter and Corey Hogan discuss leadership rules through the prism of the Alberta PCs setting the stage for their contest. What's fair in a leadership contest? How does the party establishment put its thumb on the scale? And how awful is the return of crowd favourite segments "Magic Pills" and "Fortune Cookies"? Zain Velji, as always, picks the questions and keeps everybody in line.

Stephen Carter and Corey Hogan discuss the Liberal retreat, expense scandals and how the federal parties are preparing for the fall. What goes into planning a government retreat? Are lounge passes and limousines going to tarnish the Trudeau brand? And why won't Stephen Carter stay at a Best Western? Zain Velji, as always, picks the questions and keeps everybody in line.

Stephen Carter and Corey Hogan check in on what's happened in Alberta this summer, and the broader political lessons that can be learned from the same. Is Jason Kenney going to get into trouble for "double-dipping"? Was the NDP approach to campaign finance reform a misfire? And how depressing would it be to be a bureaucrat briefing Stephen Carter on PPAs? Zain Velji, as always, picks the questions and keeps everybody in line.

Stephen Carter and Corey Hogan talk about the Trump campaign's attempt at a reboot. Can The Donald rebound? What's are his pathways to victory? And, in the immortal words of Larry Heather, is this twilight for democracy? Zain Velji, as always, picks the questions and keeps everybody in line.

Stephen Carter and Corey Hogan talk about the end of the DNC/#DemsInPhilly and the fallout from Trump's no-good, very bad, horrible weekend. Is Donald Trump in the middle of a meltdown? Did the DNC deliver a message durable enough to take Clinton to November? And most importantly, what did we think of the lighting? Zain Velji, as always, picks the questions and keeps everybody in line.

Stephen Carter and Corey Hogan talk about #DNCleaks and the start of the Democratic Convention. Did Debbie Wasserman-Schultz need to resign? Did Bernie Sanders do what he needed to? And what time is nap time for the California delegation? Zain Velji, as always, picks the questions and keeps everybody in line.